I’ll try to be as detailed as possible with Barbarossa, but at a certain point it becomes impossible due to facts changing rapidly on the front. As always, seemingly minor changes/dice/opponent choices can have long term consequences. I’ll try to outline the best way to assault Russia using an overarching strategy, from the German perspective. I’ll leave Japan and Italy out of the equation from a detail/mechanic perspective, only mentioning what effect they should be/could be having on Germany’s choices.
1. First purchase is a Carrier and 2 Transports. For me, this has next to nothing to do with Sealion, and everything to do with versatility/flexibility/ability to seize and hold the initiative. This purchase forces Britain to spend all IPCs in London, getting them off to a slower start in Africa vs. Italy. A few pieces in Africa can mean everything. Secondly, the Carrier gives you an immediate lockdown fleet when combined with your airbase in West Germany. You now have a foundation for a long-term shield against Britain and the US.
2. Neutral choices: Step into Finland with 2 Infantry, Step into Bulgaria with 2 Infantry, and crush Yugoslavia with 8 Infantry, an Artillery, and 3 Armor. The rest of your mobile forces hit France G1. This sets you up for Greece on G2 quite nicely. It also buys you the max free Infantry you can get on G1… yeah, it’s nice for Italy to have some free Infantry + economy, but I prefer (personally) to have the bulk of the forces go to one major power… on offense a single power is best to have a majority… on defense, multinational is just fine.
3. Starting on the 1st turn, begin moving units into Norway with the single Transport you have… on G2 land 6 more with the 3 Transports you now have. On G3 land 6 more… you get the idea. Move your Infantry and Artillery only… mobile forces have a different purpose. The Allied player who had to prepare for a potential Sealion is now watching as a heavy dose of Infantry and Artillery begins pooling in Finland.
4. Purchases on G2, G3, G4 etc. should reflect your purpose - to overwhelm and crush Russia. This isn’t done with pretty, expensive units, but with Infantry, Artillery, Mech Infantry, and Armor… in descending order of amount purchased. Personally, if I have 60 IPcs with Germany, you’ll see 10 Infantry, an Artillery, a Mech Infantry, an Armor, a Fighter, and a Sub. Sometimes the Sub will be an extra Armor, or the Mech an extra Artillery, or vice versa. You get the idea. As the turns move forward, slowly choke back on the Infantry, and add mobile forces through the midgame turns… the front has moved, and you have to maintain the ability to move with it. Still, I’d personally have a hard time ever buying less than 6-8 Infantry in a turn, no matter what.
5. Begin to defend your coast before the Allied navies claim Gibraltar/North Africa, which they will. I begin placing 2 Infantry a round in Normandy on G3, and I make a commitment that doesn’t stop until I get to 10-12 Infantry. Comined with the threat of the Luftwaffe, it forms a formidable defense and can counter any attack made on Southern France.
6. So now you have a self-sustaining Kriegsmarine (adding a unit per turn), with an airbase backing it up (and adding a fighter per turn). You’re preparing to defend your coastline in Normandy. This is your Spiked Shield.
7. Let’s talk about the Armored Fist. You’ve been landing 6 units per turn in Norway on G2 and G3, you landed 2 on G1 and had 6 Infantry in Finland… you’re now looking at forces in the north of 20(!) land units to begin G4… not bad. 14 of these are prepared to assault on G4. Every other land unit not playing defense in Normandy can now be used on the front with Russia. On G4 not only will you have a huge force of Infantry/Artillery preparing to take the Karelia/Vyborg region, you’ll also have plenty of Infantry massed along the Polish/Hungarian/Romanian border, and more importantly, your mechanized forces will be prepared to apply pressure wherever you choose, based on how the Russian player has chosen to array their forces. My favorite is a pincer - the northern forces hit Karelia or Vyborg (or both), and my mobile forces (now numbering approximately 10 Armor and 6 Mech) move with accompanying Infantry/Artillery into the Baltic States. The nail in the coffin is the original 3 Transports… they bring a combo of 6 Infantry/Artillery any place you need - Vyborg, Novgorod, or the Baltic States - any combo you choose, or all to one of them if needed. My guess is that based on the way the Russian player sees you stage on G3, they’ll be in no mood to contest Novgorod… how could they?
8. Contingency plans - let’s say the Russian player sells out completely to save Novgorod… well, now your mobile forces (16 units and counting!) make a mess of the Ukraine area. With the pressure of Infantry, Artillery, Mobile forces, and a large Luftwaffe, Russia is forced to choose to lose one IC or the other. Because the Ukraine opens up Stalingrad and the Caucasus region, a smart Russian player will choose the lesser of the two evils and will heavily defend the South and let the North go.
I didn’t mention Japan and Italy yet… By G4 Japan may have eaten up a large portion of China, in which case Russia is looking at war on two fronts. Bad news. If the US is going all out Pacific, all the better for Germany. The strategy I just laid out works well against determined Allied Atlantic play… imagine if the Allied presence is minimal? Less Kriegsmarine, more Luftwaffe or land units. A win-win situation. A quicker fall of Russia. As for Italy, if Britain attacked the Italian fleet (usually a given), it is time to immediately focus on being Germany’s good friend and maintaining a needling threat on the African coast, but mostly buying land units to send both East and West… West to take over the defense of Normandy over time, and East to open a hole or two for what will become by G6 an absolutely monstrous German mobile force of 12-14 Armor and 8-10 Mech Infantry. As I said, an Armored Fist.
9. When your German economy gets to 55-60, do yourself a favor and make a commitment to 10 Infantry a round in the later stages (G7 and later). Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a state of Infantry exhaustion. When that happens, you begin to lose the initiative. A bad idea. Keep the boots marching to the front.
10. A wrinkle or two - think about spending the money on a Minor IC in Greece, followed by an airbase. With this 27 IPC investment, you can purchase a Transport + a Destroyer or Cruiser in the Black Sea (SZ100). From here, you can assault Ukraine, Rostov, and most importantly the 7 IPC Caucasus (2 IPCs + 5 IPC NO). You also gain the ability to assist Italy in the Mediterranean if needed - naval purchases in SZ97 can use Italy’s Naval Base. Coupled with Italy’s Airbase in Southern Italy, you can now maintain a light Italian presence in the Med if the Allies have been aggressive. An Italian (as well as German) Sub or Destroyer per round, coupled with air power can hold the Allies at bay for a good deal of time. If Allied air power threatens your fleet in the Black Sea, think about another airbase in Romania. 6 aircraft is a pretty good deterrent to keep your transport alive. The infrastructure detailed in this paragraph gives you a small but effective (and flexible/versatile) presence in Southern Russia, while the heavy and sustained Northern focus keeps Russia falling backward with sheer power and brutality.
Try this stuff and let me know how it goes!
